Doomsday Prepping on a Budget

Disaster preparedness can be expensive. Some extremists devote every penny into food stores and survival equipment. This is not necessary. Do not let this extreme mentality scare you away. Ensuring your family is ready for a disaster is imperative, and doomsday prepping on a budget is achievable.Couponing can be a lifesaver to the budget prepper. This will allow you to pick up canned and dried food, sanitary and medical supplies, paper products and more at a deep discount when combined with sales or clearance specials. Two posts to read: How Do I Save Money on Groceries and Not So Extreme Couponing Strategy.

Focus on the bare essentials. The Rule of 3s tells us we can survive 3 hours without shelter (in weather extremes), 3 days without water, 3 weeks without food. If you are a budget prepper, focus on stockpiling those things that are necessary for survival, store well and give you the biggest bang for your buck; rice, beans, powdered milk, Tang, cereal, canned vegetables, olive oil and a water purification system. These small systems can be purchased for around $50 to $100.

Garage Sales and Second-Hand Stores are a great place to pick up things like sleeping bags, cold weather clothing, blankets, backpacks and outdoor equipment.

Storage can be an afterthought, but proper containers will ensure your food investment doesn’t go to waste or to the rodents. Not any containers will do, however. You will need food grade containers, commonly called #2 plastic, as certain plastics can taint food. You can purchase these through a variety of online sources, or ask your local grocers or bakers how they are disposing of these now. Perhaps they will allow you to take them off their hands at no charge.

Buy in installments. A one-week supply of long-term food will cost around $50 at or eFoodsDirect.com. Make a commitment to purchasing one or two kits per month, whichever you can afford. Starting small is better than not starting at all.
As you can see, preparedness is achievable for even those on the tightest budgets. Focus on the individual pieces rather than the big picture that seems insurmountable at this time. Make it a priority to make one investment per month if necessary. The piece of mind that will come from investing just $15 per week is priceless.